Dr. Hatem, how can we sum up the recent international political situation?
It is chaotic, which is the result of political projects and games. Of course, some powers are taking advantage of this chaos, especially those who created it or participated in its creation. There are huge amounts of money used for this purpose. We also saw an economic and financial crisis and, consequently, an intellectual and cultural one. Thus, public opinion became easily manipulated as far as people have less knowledge and no time to analyse the political situation. This is how political projects are easily implemented, especially through the instrumentalisation of religion or the creation of fear in populations.
Who takes advantage of this situation and how?
Principally, the United States of America which became the super-power or the “global police”, after the collapse of ex-Soviet Union. Through their intelligence services and under the control of lobbies, the USA are using both hard and soft power to achieve their plans. In fact, Washington leads the Anglo-Saxon world which house the financial centers. As Amschel Rothschild said: “Let me issue and control nations’ money and I care not who makes the laws.”
Since the collapse of Soviet Union, we saw many military interferences and invasions, justified by fake reasons and advanced through mainstream media. We also saw revolutions created by those actors. Take for example the invasion of Iraq where the goal was to destabilise the whole Middle East. This situation facilitated what the media called the “Arab spring” that has increased religious fanaticism, the collapse of states and installation of chaos. This is what happened in Tunisia, in Libya, in Yemen, in Egypt and in Syria. Who is behind this situation? Who took advantage of it? The United States, their allies and the lobbies who are controlling the US foreign policy. In Egypt, in Tunisia, in Ukraine and eastern European countries, also in the south of the Mediterranean, George Soros foundations (one of the levers of US soft power) obviously played a role in provoking this situation.
But don’t we witness today how the US as a global power is being challenged by other emerging powers such as Russia and China?
Indeed, since the end of the war in ex-Yugoslavia, the US imposed themselves as the “global police”, putting an end to the bi-polarity that used to rule international society before the collapse of Communism.
In fact, after WW2, the international community was divided into two blocks: the Eastern block, headed by the Soviet Union, called “totalitarian world” on one side, and Western block, headed by the US, called the “free world”, on the other side. In the totalitarian world people were deprived from freedom of speech, of movement, of private initiative. People were afraid to talk freely even within their own homes, to criticise the system or to express their own will. Entities were deprived from freedom and self-determination. This was the opposite of the situation in the “free world” to which I had belonged and which I had always defended: I was member of the WACL (World Anti-Communist League) and I never thought that one day I would visit Moscow which used to be the capital city of the “totalitarian world”.
Today, we are in an opposite scheme. In the ex-free world, we are totally under control and lacking freedom of movement and speech. All business and financial transactions are also scrupulously controlled and tracked. People are afraid to express themselves, even on the phones and on social networks. They are even afraid to show that they are thinking in a different way to what has been imposed on them by the system. People are feeling that they are under a dictatorship without a visible dictator. Isn’t it like the previous “totalitarian world”? On the other hand, we have in today’s Russia the opposite development of more freedom, and fighting international terrorism instead of funding it.
Does this justify the sanctions against Russia in the eyes of the West?
Of course, yes. Russia and its allies are an obstacle to Western policy. Washington and Brussels would like to implement chaos all over the world. Russia’s involvement in Syria and its success in putting an end to the destabilisation, including the annihilation of ISIS which was threatening Europe too, is seen by the West as sabotaging their plans. The Syrian war allowed Russia a “come back” on the international scene, gathering new allies, especially China and Iran.
Speaking about Iran, how do you view the new American sanctions against Tehran?
Iran joined the “New Free World” by refusing anarchic globalisation, defending the sovereignty of nations and their independence, respecting national and natural values of societies and entities. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran progressed and reconciled the State – the rule of law – and the deep authentic Persian nation, the “real country”. It also recovered its traditional position of guardian of the Shiite world as it used to be during the 17th century when Shiism became the State religion of Persia.
This is similar to Russia which also recovered its leadership of the Orthodox world after the collapse of Communism. By the way, both countries respect the rights of the other religious communities existing within their borders.
The sanctions against Iran are illegal. In fact, only in case of committing international unlawful acts, sanctions can be implemented. But what international unlawful act Iran has committed? This country fought terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, tried to protect the sovereignty on the request of the legal governments in Baghdad and Damascus. Iran also protected Christian communities in Syria who were threatened by the slaughters of ISIS.
You are criticising the American government without making a distinction between the previous policy of the US and today’s Trump administration…
President Donald Trump broke with his predecessor’s internal policies. But he is unfortunately pursuing the same foreign policy of his predecessors. In fact, the American foreign policy is guided by lobbies – especially the Israel lobby – and by intelligence services. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump thought that it would have been easy for him to beat the establishment [in Washington]. He even stated in 2015 that he would not be under the control of the Israel lobby. But, very quickly after this declaration which was considered “anti-Semitic” and after being attacked by the media, he stooped to AIPAC and showed his sincere loyalty and subservience to them. This explains his position of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and his stubbornness against Iran.
How does one get out of this situation?
We are facing a worldwide crisis – a clash between the populations and their governments who seem to be puppet ones. Political power is exercised by shadow actors, using the globalisation system. This is what late UN general secretary Boutros Boutros Ghali was demonstrating when criticising the failure of the United Nations. In the beginning of the 20th century, we were watching the destruction of state-empires through the emergence and the encouragement of nationalism. We are now seeing the destruction of nations-states in order to create a general regression of people and civilisations in a chaotic climate. We all have to defend our historical civilisations, our cultures, our values, our specificities, our freedom and independence. We have to fight against globalisation and to focus on defending our sovereignty.
Dr Elie Hatem with former Front National leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen. FWM
Dr Elie Hatem is Barrister-at-law both at the Paris Bar Association and the International Criminal Court of Justice (The Hague). PhD in International Public Law and Constitutionnal Law, he was teaching International Relations and International Law in universities. Closed to Late Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the United Nations, he advised many Presidents of Republic and Head of States, including the current President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun. He is also the political advisor of Mr Jean–Marie Le Pen, the founder of the French political party, Le Front National.
